Schoolchildren, teenagers and even adults are often seen with a brush, hockey stick or tennis racket in their hand strumming along to a guitar track in the background. This is known as playing the “Air Guitar”. Simulating the playing and movements of the Guitarist with the “Air Guitar” is a very important part of the musical experience, especially to songs with strong instrumental tracks. The users can fantasise and imagine themselves as the lead or bass guitarist playing in the company of their idols. Air Guitarists, however, have only a limited enjoyment experience as their action and movements do not influence the sound output in any way. There is clearly a need for a method of providing a user with a greatly enhanced musical and emotional experience using an “Air Guitar” or other “Air Instrument” when played in this way.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,990,405 (Gibson Guitar Corp) discloses a system for generating and controlling a simulated musical experience in which a musician can simulate participation in a concert by playing a musical instrument and wearing a head-mounted 3D display that includes stereo speakers. Audio and video portions of a musical concert are pre-recorded, along with a separate sound track corresponding to the musical instrument played by the musician. Playback of the instrument sound track is controlled by signals generated in the musical instrument and transmitted to a system interface connected to the audio-video play back device, an audio mixer and the lead mounted display. The instrument sound track can be suppressed so that that actual sound generated by the musician playing the musical instrument can be heard with the pre-recorded audio and video portions.
The Gibson Guitar system is a specific hardware apparatus designed for use by an experienced musician and pre-supposes that the user will have access to a mixing console or decoder capable of separating a backing track audio from the composite audio. The input device is a standard electric guitar which produces analog audio signal outputs. Therefore this system is not suitable for use by an “Air Guitarist” and cannot be directed to a mass market of persons who appreciate music but have no musical training.